How much does a medical resident make in Canada?

Updated: July 7, 2022

Residency is often the first chance for new physicians to start earning an income. So, how much do residents in Canada make?  

Residents’ salaries are negotiated by the residency associations and are determined by two things: their postgraduate year and the province they’re working in.

For instance, if you’re in the second year of a training program (PGY-2) in Ontario, your salary is the same as that of every other PGY-2 resident in that province. Note that in all provinces, if you switch residency programs, or do multiple residency programs, you may go back to being paid at the PGY-1 level at the start of your new program.

While all the residents in a single year make the same amount no matter where they live in the province, their income after expenses could be vastly different. Those in urban areas may have higher living expenses such as rent, transportation and grocery costs compared with those in more remote areas.

Residents’ gross salary for 2022

Below, we show the annual and monthly gross salaries of residents for all years of training. You can find details in the collective agreements of each province (click on the links below). Note that the base salary does not include call stipends, which you will need to submit to get paid for. Call stipends are also taxable upon receipt.

Gross salary is the amount before you pay any tax, employment insurance (EI) and Canada Pension Plan/Quebec Pension Plan (CPP/QPP) premiums.

British Columbia Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income

Alberta Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income

Saskatchewan Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income

Manitoba Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income

Ontario Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income

Quebec Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income

New Brunswick Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income

Nova Scotia Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income

Prince Edward Island Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income

Newfoundland and Labrador Residents — Annual Salary and Monthly Income — currently under negotiation

How MD can help

Depending on your residency year and province, you are paying thousands of dollars a year in federal and provincial taxes, EI and CPP/QPP.

Your goal should be to get as much of the tax money back as possible by claiming all the deductions and credits that you’re eligible for. Residents are often eligible for tax credits on tuition and exam fees. See Tax tips for resident physicians. You can also manage how much tax comes off your residency paycheque.

For more information, please contact your MD Advisor*.

*MD Advisor refers to an MD Management Limited Financial Consultant or Investment Advisor (in Quebec), or an MD Private Investment Counsel Portfolio Manager.

The above information should not be construed as offering specific financial, investment, foreign or domestic taxation, legal, accounting or similar professional advice nor is it intended to replace the advice of independent tax, accounting or legal professionals.